Press & Media

Bustos Appointed to Subcommittees on Defense; Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education; and Military Construction and Veterans Affairs

WASHINGTON – Today, Congresswoman Cheri Bustos (IL-17) was named to three key subcommittees on the House Appropriations Committee. In addition to driving key priorities on infrastructure and agriculture at the full committee level, her new subcommittee assignments position her to effectively fight for the priorities of our region with appointments to the Appropriations Subcommittees on Defense; Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies; and Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies. Congresswoman Bustos was appointed to the Appropriations Committee last week.

“Serving on the Appropriations Committee is a win for our region and a win for Illinois,” Congresswoman Bustos said. “These subcommittee assignments will put me in a strong position to fight for the critical defense priorities in our region, veterans who’ve served our country with honor and hardworking families who are just trying to make ends meet. As the Appropriations Committee has oversight over all federal spending, I’ll work tirelessly to make sure our region gets its fair share and that communities across our region have a strong voice at the table.”

BACKGROUND

The Appropriations Committee is among the most powerful and far-reaching committees in the House – responsible for writing legislation that funds the full scope of the federal government’s important responsibilities and commitments. As a member of the Appropriations Committee, Congresswoman Bustos will oversee funding for each branch of the federal government, but her specific subcommittee assignments are listed below:

Subcommittee on Defense – Congresswoman Bustos has been a strong champion for the defense priorities in Illinois’ 17th Congressional District – and as a member of this subcommittee overseeing the Department of Defense and nearly all defense spending, she will be a strong voice for the Rock Island Arsenal, Peoria Air National Guard and the many defense contractors in the Rockford community.

Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education – Congresswoman Bustos has always been a strong voice and partner for working families – as a member of this subcommittee, she’ll make sure workers have access to the training they need to succeed, that our hospitals in small towns have the funding to keep their doors open and that communities across Illinois can fight back against the opioid epidemic. Congresswoman Bustos will also work hard to fund programs our universities rely on and to bring down the crushing burden of student debt.

Subcommittee on Military Construction and Veterans Affairs – During her tenure in the House, Congresswoman Bustos has been a watchdog for our veterans and for the future of the Rock Island Arsenal – and as a member of this subcommittee overseeing the Department of Veterans Affairs, military construction and base realignment activities, she will work tirelessly to support our veterans, the three veterans clinics in our Congressional District and the mission at the Rock Island Arsenal.